Open Unto Me

Whenever I feel there just aren't enough hours in the day, or minutes in the hour, I am constantly amazed at how time is made and I am proven wrong.  It boils down to this word,  ,selah , סֶלָה a breath.  It can literally be translated as, "stop and listen" or "pause and breathe".  I love those definitions.  In the Psalms, selah is used within the psalms, allowing time for breath.  These moments, this selah, sneaks up on me and appears in numerous manners.   

The other day was a crazy rushed day full of surprises that weren't necessarily the best kind (think puppy + room full of things to be chewed...like crayons, tape, boxes of matches, napkins, etc...) and I was all set to be angry and frustrated and skip yoga to pout.  But I went to yoga and was challenged in poses, pushed to stretch my limits, and found my breath.  

Selah. 

Some weekday mornings are full of class, full of work study in the refectory, or full of submitting papers.  But then I get a break to do something so simple as make a cup of coffee and shower.  And sometimes, it is the best thing I can be doing during that time. 

Selah.

Then there are times said "shower and coffee time" take too long and I am rushed into the next lecture feeling all sorts of out of place.  And then my professor takes time to open our class in prayer and while I am sitting in class, in silence, I am able to breathe. 

Selah.  

I wanted to share the prayer my professor used this morning for class.  It is by Howard Thurman and is entitled, "Lord, Open Unto Me".  This time of prayer really felt like a pause in my day and the words really spoke to me; it could be the repetitious nature of the poem, that I was actually sitting still for a moment, or that the Holy Spirit was just at work!  I've been looking for a new prayer to memorize and this might be it.  I hope you are able to pause and breathe while reading this. 

Lord, open unto me

Open unto me — light for my darkness.
Open unto me — courage for my fear.
Open unto me — hope for my despair.
Open unto me — peace for my turmoil.
Open unto me — joy for my sorrow.
Open unto me — strength for my weakness.
Open unto me — wisdom for my confession.
Open unto me — forgiveness for my sins.
Open unto me — love for my hates.
Open unto me — thy Self for my self.

Lord, Lord, open unto me!

Amen.